Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Arar Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Arar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,211 in Ad Dammam versus $1,198 in Arar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,857 in Ad Dammam versus $1,849 in Arar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,503 in Ad Dammam versus $2,501 in Arar.

Living in Ad Dammam is roughly 1% more expensive than in Arar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 9% lower, Arar 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.45 SAR 27.99

$6.54 SAR 24.55

13.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$44.74 SAR 168

18.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 SAR 29.72

$7.91 SAR 29.69

0.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

$1.77 SAR 6.65

6.21%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$1.75 SAR 6.56

5.71%

Cappuccino

$3.55 SAR 13.33

$3.70 SAR 13.88

-4.05%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$0.74 SAR 2.77

24.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 SAR 1.42

$0.29 SAR 1.07

31.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

$1.62 SAR 6.09

1.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 SAR 5.32

$0.95 SAR 3.57

49.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.96

$2.40 SAR 9.00

-11.67%

Eggs

$2.31 SAR 8.68

$2.48 SAR 9.31

-6.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.99 SAR 22.48

$6.83 SAR 25.64

-12.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.32 SAR 27.49

$7.35 SAR 27.59

-0.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.07 SAR 37.80

$12.96 SAR 48.67

-22.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.85

$2.17 SAR 8.16

-3.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$1.57 SAR 5.91

-1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.23

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-17.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.20

$1.56 SAR 5.88

5.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$1.29 SAR 4.84

-0.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.15

$1.26 SAR 4.74

8.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 SAR 4.86

$1.24 SAR 4.65

4.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.08

$0.59 SAR 2.22

-6.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.12 SAR 15.47

$2.97 SAR 11.17

38.72%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

$1.75 SAR 6.58

-8.00%

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.47

$2.04 SAR 7.64

-2.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.76 SAR 29.14

$6.99 SAR 26.25

11.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 SAR 3.51

$1.04 SAR 3.91

-9.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 SAR 148

$40.26 SAR 151

-2.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.31 SAR 12.42

$2.61 SAR 9.80

26.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.26

$1.86 SAR 6.98

46.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.58 SAR 51.0

$13.54 SAR 50.9

0.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$0.63 SAR 2.37

-3.17%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

$26.6K SAR 99.9K

-16.47%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.9K SAR 78.3K

$22.0K SAR 82.8K

-5.40%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$118 SAR 444

$106 SAR 397

12.07%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$38.60 SAR 145

$33.50 SAR 126

15.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.4 SAR 238

$75.5 SAR 283

-15.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.7 SAR 266

$88.6 SAR 333

-20.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.89 SAR 116

$35.68 SAR 134

-13.42%

Cinema Ticket

$15.30 SAR 57.5

$15.91 SAR 59.7

-3.83%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$427 SAR 1,602

$351 SAR 1,317

21.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,216 SAR 30.8K

$6,890 SAR 25.9K

19.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 SAR 255

$59.4 SAR 223

14.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.8 SAR 255

$59.8 SAR 225

13.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 SAR 340

$77.6 SAR 292

16.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.1 SAR 323

$83.0 SAR 312

3.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$452 SAR 1,697

$433 SAR 1,628

4.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 SAR 1,413

$383 SAR 1,439

-1.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$792 SAR 2,975

$844 SAR 3,170

-6.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 SAR 2,387

$627 SAR 2,355

1.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,320 SAR 4,956

$2,082 SAR 7,816

-36.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$812 SAR 3,051

$1,467 SAR 5,507

-44.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,502 SAR 5,639

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

4.42

-2.04%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ad Dammam: July 12, 2026

Last update for Arar: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $452 in Ad Dammam and $433 in Arar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Ad Dammam vs $45.00 in Arar. Groceries flip the comparison at $185 vs $195, with Ad Dammam cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ad Dammam vs Arar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arar wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Ad Dammam. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Arar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,816 in Ad Dammam and $1,797 in Arar to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $452 in Ad Dammam versus $433 in Arar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,211 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,198 in Arar – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Arar runs roughly 2% less than in Ad Dammam. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,198 in Arar versus $1,211 in Ad Dammam, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Arar but tight or insufficient in Ad Dammam. The gap between the two cities makes Arar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ad Dammam and Arar are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Arar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Ad Dammam. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.